Check out this article. Pretty interesting.
I can't imagine living in a time/place where large-ish sized families are "in". Mainstream American culture is definitely not oriented that way, though certain segments of the population may be (Roman Catholics, Mormons, certain groups of Christians.) I'm not a part of any of those groups. (Although I think I'd make for a decent Catholic. No, I'm not converting, I like the Protestant, Reformed Christian church I go to just fine. I'm just sayin'...)
The author talked about how and why her reasoning for having a big family differed from what one might expect. I loved reading her reasons, so now I want to know...why do YOU have a large family?
8 comments:
Andy and I used to be very candid about wanting TWO children. That's it. As soon as the second was born, he was off to the Doctor office to make sure it stayed comfortably at two. Our reasoning at the time was that any more than two looked like too much work and like it would impede on our lifestyle.
Granted, we're only working on number 2 now, so we have a ways to go, but we do plan on 4 now. I guess being around people who have more has made us realize that a bigger family seems to have so much more love and fun...chaos too, but not enough to make it look too scary. Besides, after having our first, he's such a blast that we can't imagine not having a whole bunch! Two kids almost looks BORING now. Besides, our lifestyle has changed with just one, and we much prefer it this way now! :)
Love this article, I read a few weeks ago (mid-election) when the CSM published it in there paper. I was so excited about her positive view on large families, I cut the article out and it stayed on our coffee table for weeks, so the world could read it.
Since I was a in high school I always wanted a large family and was so happy when I married Matt who also want a large family. With 3 kids now, there are days I question another child but I know that our family is not done growing! Our kids love each other so much, and they even talk about wanting more siblings. There is so much love to go around.
I think we're expecting a large family by default because of our belief in God-driven fertility. Now, we are NOT part of the fundie Quiver mindset, but we're a mainstream Christian couple (half Reformed Protestant, half Roman Catholic) who just happen to concur that artificial birth control is antithetical to God's word and teaching. We also love kids and see parenthood as the greatest thing ever! Besides faith and marriage, of course. ;-) We currently have three little kiddos and are fine with having more or staying at three.
i love how she said that one child can change the world--or a corner of it. what a great article. it's funny, but i don't usually think of 3 kids of a big family probably because i came from a fam of 5 kids, and i know you and other families with more kids. i agree with jeanett, that altho i can see how 2 kids is very manageable in so many ways, it does seem boring to me. and that's what i told cade when we talked about having more. i wanted a little chaos and there is more love. that's something that just blows me away-you think you're maxed out on love, meaning that you love the kids and family you have so much and can't imagine loving them more and then you have another kid and there's more love! where does it come from? it doesn't make sense, but there it is. thanks for sharing the article.
I think she's right. Maybe having 3+ kids is becoming more of a trend. But, it still surprises me how many people remark at our large family. I've never thought that 5 kids was an extreme number. We started out thinking we'd have two, and we just never quit wanting more little people around to love. Not necessarily for religious reasons, not to save the world (although those are very valid reasons), just because we love kids. The big question is: Do we shoot for #6??? Hmmm... I'll get back to you on that!
i loved reading this..thanks for sharing it. it's funny, when i was pregnant with number 3 people acted shocked, like it was a huge family..we are on the way to #4 and 5 thru adoption, and it's certainly not to keep up with the jones's or 'be cool'..as my husband said, we lost all sense of cool with our first minivan, lol. children are such a gift and blessing..as i write this my getting-all-four-molars-at-once baby is SCREAMING..so i'd better go pick up my blessing! :)
great article. not a large family yet (though maybe by some people's standards!). but we want a large family because children are a blessing and, well, we love 'em!!
I love almost everything about having a big family. Sometimes I explain it to others using my very own Joy theory. Your first child is 30% joy and 70% work. The joy totally makes up for the work, but having a child is a lot more work than not having a child. The second is 40%/60% and the third is 50%/50%. After the third the % goes way in the other direction. We just added # 6, and it's been 95% joy/5% work. I already make a lot of food and do a lot of laundry and that hasn't changed. What has changed is now I have an extra little face smiling at me when we all eat dinner, calling me mommy and giving me hugs, playing with her siblings and showing her sister how to braid hair. I have a wonderful little girl in my life. How lucky am I? Yes, people with two children can hop on planes more often and not get comments in the grocery store, but I would not change minor inconviences to be in their shoes for even one minute.
Katie
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